About Home Link International Vacation Home exchange

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Home Link International is an website that aims to allow a alternative to normal vacations in the form of home exchange and vacation house swapping. Please visit their main website at the link above.

Site members are individuals and families who enjoy the unique benefit of exchanging homes for holidays. It has a tremendous potential to generate goodwill among peoples of the world.
We have set a very high standard in home exchange and site members are meticulously vetted and our reputation is second to none.

The wide variety of choices and the high quality of service is why so many members return to HomeLink year after year. Our organizers throughout the world are experienced home exchangers and sources of much useful information.

Your contact information is secured! 

With HomeLink contact information can not be accessed by non-members.

Unique messaging system

Your security is guaranteed through our Messaging System & Password.

Helpful local organisers

With 28 offices around the world our database covers many desirable locations and you will have a helpful local organizer at your disposal.

Personal attention

They pride themselves on the personal attention they provide their members

This HomeLink web site is represented by who is very experienced in home exchange.

Here Is An Example Listing:

Modern 100m2 (1,076 sq foot) apartement in Northern Paris. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, separate toilets. 
The appartment is on the 16th floor and enjoys a great view of Montmartre & the Sacre-Coeur. Metro is right outside the building and can take you to Montmartre in 10 minutes, to Notre-Dame in 20 minutes, and to the Eiffel Tower in 30 minutes. You can get easily from our home to Disneyland or to Versailles in a little bit more than 1 hour by metro and train.
Small foodstore, pharmacy and post office next door. Bakery, all-day market and supermarket within a 10 minute walk distance.
We have 2 small boys (3 and 6) so our appartment is fully equipped for kids: beds, crib, and lots of toys and kids’ DVDs!
Our area is undergoing renovation works but as long as you don?t drive, the inconvenience is minor.
• Babysitter available • Tourist area / resort • Central heating • Cultural attractions • Clothes dryer • Friendly neighbours • Home is wheelchair accessible • Infant care facilities • Elevator / lift • Modern kitchen • Microwave oven • Parking • Restaurants • Public swimming pool • Convenient public transport • Theatre(s) • TV • View • Clothes washer • Dishwasher • Computer for Internet access

View photo album

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How to Save Money: Save Money With Holiday Home Exchange

Despite the rather sluggish economy, there are still ways in which we can save money. With a bit of thought and the ability to plan ahead, we can save money by taking advantage and reaping the benefit from the cheapest form of holidaying. And no iam not suggesting to play the lottery.

Most of us need to escape for a week or two now and again, but with the current economic situation, we are all tightening our collective belts.

We are no longer able to spend a fortune on holiday villas and expensive hotels. With modern technology and even online banking allowing us so much freedom of choice. But there is an alternative and a much cheaper way to spend your vacation. When you home swap, your home will be occupied and not lying empty while you are away, but there are many more benefits.

A Holiday Home Swap

Also known as home exchange holidays, this type of holidays may not appeal to everyone. Holiday home swap have been around for some time; the idea was used in the film “The Holiday” with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet and Jude Law, in 2006. The film was a bit of a damp squid, but holiday home swap remains an excellent way to save money.

Holiday home swap or home exchange means that you and your family agree to exchange homes with a family from a different area or country and live in each other’s home during your holiday.

This form of holidaying offers incredible value for money, especially for the larger families since the accommodations are free. The cost of the holiday is the travelling cost and a fee to join a house swap network.

The key to a successful home swap holiday is trust and flexibility so the earlier it is arranged the smoother it will go. Your house does not have to be a mansion; the location is the key, your description of the property should be accurate, the property should be clean for a successful, effective holiday swap.

The home on offer should be of a similar calibre to the home you are hoping to enjoy on your swap.

Property in a picturesque rural situation or those that are connected to historic places can be expected to swap for a similar property overseas.

Holiday swap, Networks

It can cost around £75 to £100 a year to join a network that will provide details of homes available for swapping, which can be viewed online.

Intervac-homeexchange.com has been facilitating home exchange between families, singles and retired people since 1953, they now offer their services around the world for 30,000 families from all walks of life and would love to hear from you.

The financial benefits are obvious, when you consider a family villa can cost up to £2000 a week, with home swap, this can all be your holiday savings. And the advantages do not stop here, holidaying with the family is much easier in a real home, it offers a chance to sample the neighbourhood and lifestyle. When you swap with a family, there are toys for the children to play with and the home is already child proof.

Local Knowledge

You can swap cars, which can be picked up at the airport to save on taxi fares; local information provided by your host family can prove invaluable in preventing you from getting stitch-up as a tourist.

Information packs can advise on the best local watering holes, places to visit and which to avoid. Some people will ask a friend or neighbour to act as an agent on their behalf during the swap; this is a good idea and can help the new family with any teething problems as well as keeping an eye on your home while you are away.

Like everything else there is a downside, you are opening up your home to complete strangers. However, there are several precautions you can take to ensure your home is safe.

Get to know your prospective swapper well before the swap. The first contact is usually via e-mail through home sites like Homebase-hols.com, excchangeaway.com and intervac.com. Once you find your potential swapper try to stay in regular contact, this will give you an idea of who you’re dealing with. If you are finding it difficult to reach your potential swapper or their answers to your questions are too vague, you may wish to reconsider as this could prove to be a problem later on.

Agreement in writing should include addresses and dates, a list of what is included in the swap, who will cover costs of phone, gas, electricity and any breakage.

That said, home swappers stress that problems are rare, and the experience can be very uplifting.

Happy Swapping

Article source: http://hubpages.com/money/tips_on_saving_money_try_holiday_home_exchange

What You Probably Don’t Know About Home Exchange

You have probably heard about Home Exchange from friends, or from the movie “The Holiday” starring Cameron Diaz. House Swapping is when two parties exchange their homes at the same time for a vacation. It has been becoming increasingly popular in the last few years as a result of the downturn in the economy, and the increase of internet usage around the world. Here are a few things you might not know about House Swapping:

1. People Who Rent Can Still Home Exchange

Most people think they would love home exchange, but they can’t because they rent. In reality, you can do a home exchange even if you rent your home. It is a good idea to let your landlord know your plans. Often home exchangers will let their neighbours know about the exchange so they know to expect new visitors and the neighbors often stop by to make the home exchangers feel at home.

2. You Can Save Half the Cost of Travel

When you calculate the expenses, it costs about half the cost when you do a home exchange. Home rentals and hotels can add up to hundreds of dollars, and when you have completely free accommodations it allows you to splurge in other ways. Many people take a much longer vacation such as a month instead of 2 weeks because they are saving on hotel fees.

3. People Home Exchange For Reasons Other Than Travel

Many people will home exchange for a business trip. It is common to be relocated for short to long term business trips, so many people home exchange for their accommodations while working away from home. Not only does it save the cost of paying for your place back home and away, but it gives you the comforts of home instead of living out of a mini fridge in a cramped hotel.

4. The Number One Reason People Don’t Exchange

The top reason people do not home exchange who are interested, is that they think no one would be interested in staying in their home. In reality, every home has something unique to offer and there are likely interesting things to do in your area. So start thinking like a tourist to find why someone would want to visit your city. You can highlight what makes your home unique and interesting activities in the area.

5. The Top Concern to People New to Home Exchange

People new to home exchange are most concerned about security. They are worried about having a stranger in their home and if they might steal something. In reality, it is extremely uncommon to have any problems during the exchange. Many home exchangers have done multiple home exchanges so you can chat with their references, and you get to know the other party before the exchange to see if you are a compatible match.

6. You Have Options For Added Security

For added security, www.chectravel.com offers the only insurance specifically for home exchangers. It covers lost baggage, damages, and cancelations. In addition, www.WorldHomeExchanges.com offers a unique exchange contract that both parties fill out with all the details, sign over the computer and receive a copy by email. Be sure to have clear confirmation about all the details like travel date, number of people in the party, and how you plan to exchange the keys.

7. Just How Popular Home Exchange Is

About 200,000 people will do a home exchange around the world this year. There are people interested in exchange in almost every country and many people get so hooked on doing a home exchange, it is their primary way to travel.

By By Sophie Tropolas

article source : http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/what-you-probably-dont-know-about-home-exchange